Netanyahu: ISIS fight a ‘global conflict’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) a “global conflict.”

{mosads}His comments on CBS’s “Face the Nation” followed the release of an ISIS video purporting to show the execution of American aid worker Peter Kassig.

“First, let me say that we see these horrors, this additional atrocity, and the people of Israel are with you, we’re with the family, we’re with all the American people who understand the savagery that we’re all up against,” Netanyahu said. “We support you in this battle. We support President Obama in leading this coalition. It has to be fought, ISIS, it has to be defeated and it can be defeated.”

Netanyahu also said Israel exchanges “all information that needs to be exchanged” with the United States in the fight against ISIS, but did not provide details.

“I will say that I think we have a global conflict here. I mean, basically the Middle East is awash with militant Islamists, the militant Islamists led by al Qaeda and ISIS on the Sunni side. The militant Islamists led by Iran and Hezbollah on the Shiite side. We want both of them to lose,” he said.

“The last thing we want is to have any one of them get weapons of mass destruction. Look at what ISIS is doing now with assault rifles and pickup trucks. Just imagine what Iran would do if it had nuclear weapons. So both our enemies are fighting one another, and when they are, we can both, don’t strengthen either one,” he added

Netanyahu rejected President Obama’s efforts to enlist Iran in the fight against ISIS.

“Iran is not your ally. Iran is not your friend. Iran is your enemy. It’s not your partner,” he said.

“Iran is committed to the destruction of Israel. Just as the P5+1, the United States and the world powers, is negotiating with Iran a nuclear agreement, the Ayatollah Khamenei, the ruler of Iran, calls for the annihilation of Israel. He just did that four days ago. He specified nine ways and reasons by which Israel should be destroyed. He’s participated in rallies and chants of ‘death to America’ and ‘death to Israel.’ This is not a friend. Neither in the battle against ISIS nor in the great effort that should be made to deprive him of the capacity to make nuclear weapons. Don’t fall for Iran’s ruse, they are not your friend,” he added.

Netanyahu also said negotiations with Iran should prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons today and tomorrow.

“That means that Iran should not be left with the residual capacity to enrich uranium that you need to have an atomic bomb, nor to have the long-range ballistic missiles — the ICBMs, intercontinental ballistic missile — to launch them. Why is Khamenei developed, why have they developed ballistic missiles? They don’t need them too reach Israel. They need them to reach the United States,” he said.

“Now they’re asking for the capacity to make, in very short order, the nuclear bombs to put on those missiles that can reach the United States. They should be deprived from having that capacity to make those weapons. And I think it’s that’s what’s on the table. I think it’s important to continue the sanctions. The alternative to a bad deal is not war. The alternative to a bad deal are more sanctions, tougher sanctions, that will make Iran dismantle its capacity to make nuclear bombs,” he added.